De Beleving van Ouders over de Delinquentie van hun Kind
Summary
Background Not a lot of research concerning youth delinquency examines the role and
experience of the parents Aim This research explores the parental perception of the
delinquent behavior of their child between the ages 14 and 23. Firstly, parents’ perceptions
concerning the responsibility for the delinquent behavior were investigated. Secondly,
parents’ perceptions concerning the legal procedures that parents and the child are confronted
with, were examined. Method Parental perception of the delinquent behavior of their child
has been tested through qualitative research method. Five Dutch mothers of children with
delinquent behavior were interviewed. Results All respondents felt in some way responsible
for the delinquent behaviour of their children. The respondents also pointed psychological,
biological, and environmental factors out as causes for the delinquent behaviour. Parents
differed in the way they experienced the legal procedures. Parental involvement appears to be
dependent from feelings of exclusion, information provision, involvement in decisionmaking.
Furthermore, the justice system is considered to be partially legitimate. Conclusion
In conclusion, parents perceived the delinquency as a difficult time. The delinquency of their
children lasted several years and has had an effect on the lives of the parents. At the end of the
paper, implications and suggestions for future research are made.